Chirisa comedy milestone

Mashudu Mambo

BULAWAYO-BASED comedian Frank Chirisa will on Saturday, 7 October, reach a milestone as he will stage his 50th standup comedy gig at the National University of (Nust), as he wraps up the mental health tour of the Funny Stories That Heal.

The mental health awareness tour is targeting different audiences at schools, churches and tertiary institutions.

It started on 15 September 2023 and the upcoming gig will be a wrap. Chirisa said during the tour he discovered there were many misconceptions surrounding issues of mental health.

“On 7 October, I am reaching a milestone of 50 standup comedy performances this year. I am going to be having the last show of Funny Stories That Heal at Nust.

“I have been touring a number of institutions and educating people on mental health issues through comedy in schools, churches and corporate companies. The upcoming and last show is set to be the recording of my second comedy special event,” said Chirisa.

The award-winning wordsmith said the goal of the initiative was to reduce the occurrence of suicide cases and educate people on mental health issues and how they could handle depression.

Meanwhile, Bulawayo socialite Trust Fidelis Mdluli Nyathi who played a pivotal role in championing and educating masses on issues surrounding mental health and depression died on 2 October after committing suicide.

His younger brother Ishmael Nyathi confirmed the news on Facebook where he wrote, “It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of my brother Trust Fidelis Nyathi”.

Apart from raising mental health awareness on different platforms, Fidelis was regarded as someone who enjoyed and promoted the Bulawayo cultural scene.

He will be laid to rest on 7 October.